The Singapore Kennel Club

presents

SINGAPORE'S #1 DOG OF THE YEAR 2000
SINGAPORE'S #1 HOUND OF THE YEAR 2000
SINGAPORE'S #1 WHIPPET OF THE YEAR 2000

"Martina"
Multi All-Breed Best In Show
Aust & S'pore Ch. Taejaan Ms Martini (Imp Aust)

by Dr. Arnold Marc Tan

Today is a good day to write the story, I tell myself. It was pouring earlier this evening, and settling into a light drizzle now. On this quiet Saturday night, the two whippets are asleep in their favourite spot on the sofa, nestled in each other's warmth, as if they were one. A beautiful sight to behold. And the perfect setting for some recollection, some reminiscence, and yes, some personal sharing.

Reflection.

This is a story I wasn't quite sure was ever going to be told. It hinged feebly on just one dream. A dream which has taken me an unbelievably long time to realize. 24 years, to be precise. Winning the award of "Singapore's Dog of the Year 2000" marked the end of a phase in my dog-showing life; and inevitably, the beginning of a new one.

Close friends and family know I love writing and gardening as much as I love having dogs, if the latter a little more intensely. Admittedly, they are about the only three things I do with an appalling obsession. Writing allows one to immortalize the intense joy of great moments and the excruciating pain of disappointments, both of which I have had the good fortune to experience in the show ring. Above all else, one writes for a purpose. Often, the purpose is simplistic; but occasionally it becomes didactic because it begs to share a belief, which this story intends.

In line with the structure of a riveting novel, the plot can only thicken after a brief but crucial flashback to the beginning of the protagonist's life. And more importantly, how that has influenced the way he views various things, including the sport of showing dogs, today.

In 1977, a little boy went to watch a dog show and
as they say, the rest is history …

One life-changing Sunday in 1977, I walked into a Championship Dog Show at the National Stadium and the arresting beauty of purebred dogs poised artfully in competition robbed me of ever giving any other hobby in the world a second chance. As if I knew that was going to be the start of a lifetime passion, I kept that very copy of the show catalogue which today holds great sentimental value to me. A new beginning had dawned upon a wide-eyed 10 year-old boy, whose only pride then was a humble Dachshund.

Arnold with his first dog, Kelly Tan, 1977.

Because genuinely loving a dog, I gathered, must be the
fundamental first step to enjoying dog shows…

It is funny how my life with dogs started with a hound and has today come one big round back to these graceful animals again. My first dog, Kelly the Dachshund, finally passed on at 11 years. I did not realize how much I had made him a part of my early life until I bumped into a primary school friend at the movies recently. The first thing he asked, half in jest, was "How's your Sausage Dog, Kelly Tan?" Noting his deliberate ridicule and mockery on the family name, we both laughed, just as our English teacher had when she scribbled by the margin of my term essay, "Your dog has your surname too???" and duly read it to the whole class. I told this friend that Kelly finally died when I was in my twenties. And that the dog must have died happy because in spite of a slipped disc which left him semi-paralyzed, he heaved himself up with all his might when the end was near and collapsed in my arms, closing his eyes one last time.

From that first dog and at that young age, I learnt that dogs, like all of us, have feelings. I learnt very quickly that pet dogs were not toys and show dogs not decorative tapestries to be thrown out of the home when their use was over.

The many difficult years to come ..

Over the next two decades, I - foolishly or otherwise, depending on one's school of thought - held on to this self-righteous philosophy that a dog was for life. Learning the hard way, I braved the perfectionist world of dog shows with my next few dogs - a Shih Tzu, an English Cocker Spaniel, two Miniature Schnauzers, and two Poodles - over the next 20 years. A new show prospect was acquired only when an old one passed on. Strangely, I always made the mistake of purchasing them as puppies and seeing something go wrong on them. Teeth, coat, topline, movement, size - whatever could go wrong certainly went wrong. It was like watching Murphy's Law come alive. And often, they didn't just go wrong; they went very wrong!

Major winning Reserve Best in Show 1990

On recollection, one of the Miniature Schnauzers, against all odds, did make it to a Reserve Best in Show at a very small Open Show in 1990; and the Miniature Poodle garnered a more decent Reserve Best in Show at a Championship Show in 1994. Those were the only two memorable milestones in the uphill expedition that got me close to the summit of Mount BIS, but never quite reaching it.

Arnie winning Reserve Best in Show 1994

My next two show dogs, I reasoned to myself, would be full-grown quality whippets because neither time nor space were going to allow me to make another misjudgment. My sense of logic began to question, if a little late, the soundness of my decision making: if I were putting so much time and effort into the hobby, surely I deserved better dogs to begin with. Progressive thinking, academics call it.

So, for exhibitors who have only in recent years joined our sport, allow me to unashamedly tell you that I have, in other words, never in all my years of showing dogs, ever won a Best in Show. Not until last year, that is. Perhaps you will agree it was time I did, if not for the two beautiful whippets themselves, then for sheer perseverance and hope alone.

Whippet Search.

The search for my whippets was a long and disappointing journey, often ending with the glimmer of hope flickering and gradually self-extinguishing through downright exhaustion. True, there were a few promising, quality whippet puppies available but I just could not, in all measures, see another puppy go wrong again. I held out. I had decided it was either the best this time around or nothing at all.

Some breeders cautioned I could wait forever and never find what I was looking for -- Champions, sound, full-grown, parti-coloured, flashily marked, excellent movers and outgoing temperaments. It was simply too tall an order and a very surreal one at that, even to me. Whippet exhibitors I met at shows abroad told me it was difficult enough looking for someone with a good whippet, leave alone buy it off him or her.

How right they were. Often, the very dogs I wanted, like Cosmo and Martina, were never for sale. And when you think about it, why not? The dogs that breeders categorically do not wish to part with must surely be the best and soundest they have.

I stayed focused. It was the best or nothing at all.

Cosmo. His story.

Cosmo and me (2001)

All-Breed Best In Show Aust & S'pore Ch Statuesque Extempore or "Cosmo" arrived in Singapore in November 1999. He was thirteen months old then. Titled by that early age, and with an All-Breed Best In Show, multiple Best In Group, and Whippet Specialty Minor Puppy, Puppy and Junior In Show wins to his name, Cosmo was a special whippet in many ways. He was as much the All-Breed Judges' cup of tea as he was to the Whippet Specialists.

Cosmo was the first Champion "Jason" offspring that Mrs Lee and Mr Frank Pieterse of world-renowned Statuesque parted with -- a decision which had never been made before at their kennel, since the Pieterses never sell their champions, much less the very first one by their famous Jason.

Cosmo's Lineage.

Jason, as all whippet enthusiasts the world over will know, is All-Breed BIS & Specialty BIS Aust, Dan, Swed, Fin, Nor, Int'l Champion Statuesque Extortion (iid), a dog conceived in the USA and whelped in quarantine in Sydney. Jason represents the very cream of the top producing American lines. Out of All-Breed BIS & Specialty BIS Aust Ch. Bohem Critic's Choice (Imp USA) and by the highly influential stud, Specialty BIS Am Ch. Starlines Reign On (USA), Jason enjoyed a very successful show career in Australia before spending a year in Europe and leaving behind his 'stamp' for many whippet breeders there. In Australia, Jason won 2 All-Breed BIS, 2 Specialty BIS, 2 Whippet Specialties, 3 Hound Specialties, 2 Sighthound Specialty BIS, and Best Of Breed at Melbourne Royal, Australia's largest show.

Cosmo's sire: Jason and breeder, Mrs Lee Pieterse

Jason recently returned to Australia in February 2001, after adding five more titles to his name and becoming Sweden's #1 Whippet 2000. Like Jason, Cosmo's dam is another blue-blooded gem, All-Breed BIS & Specialty BIS Aust Ch. Statuesque Vision (Amber), a bitch whose many wins include Best in Show at the Victorian Whippet Specialty and the Whippet Club Specialty.

As will be expected, Cosmo did not come to me at the drop of a hat. My whippet search took me to many continents over a few years. Author of the whippet 'bible', The Whippet, Mr Bo Bengtson of the established Bohem whippets in Santa Barbara, USA, put me to his good friends, the Pieterses in Australia. Understandably, Bo had a long waiting list for his Bohem whippets but he sensed my genuine intentions to campaign a pair of world-class whippets in Asia. I emailed Mrs Pieterse and got a photograph of angelic Cosmo at three months. From then on, it was a daily exercise to get onto the Statuesque website to watch little Cosmo grow up in cyberspace and follow his wins at every show. I had found my dream whippet in every way but sadly, he was naturally not for sale.

By the time Cosmo was 12 months old, Jason and Amber had their second litter where the next meteoric stars, Aust Ch Statuesque Eye Spy (Handsome) and BIS Aust Ch. Statuesque Visionary (Tally), were to come from. Straight from the puppy class, Handsome surprised the Australian whippet fraternity by winning Best Of Breed at Melbourne Royal 2000 and Dog Challenge at Sydney Royal 2000 while Tally went on to win his first Best In Show. With Cosmo's two little brothers showing so much promise and seeing how I had obviously fallen hopelessly in love with Cosmo, Mrs Pieterse replied my email to yet another enquiry.

An extremely cautious and responsible breeder, she politely asked for a video tape or photographs of where I lived (she needed to know I had a garden) and how her Cosmo would be housed, which I thought was a very fair request. An entire stack of old photographs of my past dogs as puppies, of them with me in the show ring, and of them again as aged and white-faced veterans convinced the Pieterses: I loved my dogs and they stayed with me till the end, even when they didn't win a thing for me. To the Pieterses, that 'dog-for-life' commitment was the most important. Period. Cosmo was on his way!

Cosmo winning Champion of Champions 2000, 1st Runner-Up under a panel of international judges:
Mr Robert Curtis (Australia), Mrs Ferelith Somerfield (UK), Mr Larry Yuen (Malaysia) and Mr Shoji Kimura (Japan)

At his first outing, Cosmo took Reserve Best In Group at the Asian Kennel Union Ch. Show under Mrs Kakuko Sasa (Japan) followed by winning All-Breed Reserve Best In Show under Mrs Ferelith Somerfield (UK). But it was to be at the Singapore Millennium Champion of Champions Competition 2000 that exhibitors here sat up and noticed this flashy dog with an outrageous ring presence! In the company of the country's top dogs, Cosmo made it to the semi-finals for the ten highest scoring dogs adjudicated by a panel of international judges who scored each exhibit individually. Cosmo then made it to the last round of the top five dogs; and was in fact, one of the last two dogs still standing in the middle of the ring at almost midnight that eventful day! He was First Runner-Up, Champion of Champions to a glorious Shih Tzu, which was incidentally Singapore's Dog of the Year 1999, and a very worthy winner. The favourable and unanimous opinions expressed through this victory by Mr Robert Curtis (Australia), Mr Shoji Kimura (Japan), Mrs Ferelith Somerfield (UK) and Mr Larry Yuen (Malaysia) were very much appreciated. Cosmo certainly lived up to the reputation of being a real "cosmo"-politant, melting the hearts of these judges from various cities in the world! An absolute charmer. Nothing less.

Martina. Her story.

The record-breaking whippet & hound in Singapore - Martina.

All-Breed Multi Best in Show Aust & S'pore Ch. Taejaan Ms Martini or "Martina" was never meant to leave Taejaan, a kennel synonymous with many Royal Show winning whippets. She was one of the exceptionally outstanding movers bred by Mrs Molly Rule-Steele. When I first set eyes on Martina, she had already won a few All-Breed Best In Show awards and an impressive list of class wins under whippet specialty judges like Roma Wright Smith (UK), Barbara Rupert (USA), and Pat Hillyard (USA). She also took the highly competitive and impressive Hound Group at the Sunbury Kennel Club Dog Show, with an entry of more than 2,500 dogs in 1998. She was then only a year old.

Martina winning the huge Hound Group at Sunbury Show in 1998.
She was only 14 months old then. Molly handled her to this big win.

Seeing how I was willing to tirelessly search whippet-dom for a picture-perfect specimen like Martina, Molly advised me to wait patiently until Martina had whelped a litter for her. So precious was this bitch that her progeny had to be left behind to carry on the bloodline. A pedigree-precision plan of mating Martina to Molly's phenomenal stud, the Adelaide Royal 1999 Best In Show winner, Multi All-Breed BIS & Specialty BIS Aust Grand Ch. Taejaan Read My Lips (Floyd), resulted in nine puppies in an assortment of colours! In the ring, Floyd proved himself to be eye candy for many international judges, taking 12 Best In Shows and 16 Runner-Up Best In Shows from both All-Breed and Specialty Shows, 9 Royal Challenges and 3 Royal Hound Groups!

An uncle-niece mating - Floyd's sire being the stallion Aust Ch. Noholme Pepper Mill (Cricket) and Martina's dam, Specialty BIS Aust Ch. Taejaan Tia Maria (Teally) being a Cricket-daughter - Martina's litter produced more than the usual handful of show quality Martinettes and Floydsons. The best puppy bitch, Taejaan Ms America (Claudia) resembling Martina, and the pick puppy dog, Taejaan Shakya Bonbons (Ricky) looking like Floyd, were retained at Taejaan. Today, Ricky is a Dog Challenge and Hound Group winner at just a year old. I have, of course, told Martina the good news. She is beaming.

Martina's Lineage.

Martina's dam, Teally, is the wand-wielding magician whippet because she possesses the priceless gift of producing big winners with awe-inspiring consistency. Besides producing Singapore's Dog of the Year 2000 Martina, Teally is also the dam of three other Royal winners: Royal BIS Aust Ch. Taejaan Ms Margarita (Georgia) who won Best In Show Sydney Royal 1997 and herself sired by Floyd, the Adelaide Royal 1999 Best In Show winner; Multi All-Breed BIS & Specialty BIS Aust Ch. Taejaan Tequila Sunrise (Teke) who took Bitch Challenge at Sydney Royal and Adelaide Royal; and Royal Challenge winner, Aust Ch.Taejaan B'tween ThSheets (Saffy). Unlike many invaluable brood bitches whose only forte is in producing winners, Teally is herself the epitome of beauty and holder of Best In Hound Group at Melbourne Royal, 3 Royal Bitch Challenges, 2 Royal Best Of Breed, and Best in Show at the New South Wales Whippet Club. Martina's sire is Aust Ch. Mikshar Top Hat N Tails, a stud with notable Taejaan breeding behind him.

Molly (in red) and Sonia Turay with from left to right:
Saffy, Floyd, Georgia, Teke and Teally (Martina's mom)

Like Cosmo's breeder, Molly is a dedicated and dog-loving breeder who wants only the best for her dogs. And after a staggering one hundred and thirty-six emails to her with just as many replies from her, including countless telephone conversations, Molly was finally able to part with Martina, a whippet she was particularly fond of. She was sure that Martina was coming to a home where she would be loved and treasured for a long time to come. It was another dream come true for me; but I still pinched myself, lest I was only imagining things.

Martina came into my life in January 2000, all prepared to ink herself onto the pages of the Singapore Kennel Club's archives for good. She won 3rd Runner-Up at the Millennium Champion of Champions 2000 Competition - the same one where Cosmo took 1st Runner-Up - barely two weeks after her arrival, Reserve Best In Show under Mr John Lusk (Canada), Best In Show under Mr Thomas Lim (Singapore), Best In Show under Mrs Yvonne Smith (New Zealand) and Best In Show under Mrs Mariko Harase (Japan) at the Asian Kennel Union Ch. Show 2000 - one after another, in mind-boggling succession.

Asian Kennel Union Championship Dog Show 2000
Best in Show under Mrs Mariko Harase (Japan)

In summary, Martina won 3 Best in Shows, 1 Reserve Best in Show and Cosmo won 1 Reserve Best in Show and 1 Champion of Champions 1st Runner-Up out of the seven shows that the SKC organized last year. A feat quite indescribable, really. Calculated on the annual pointscore system in December, Martina was officially declared Singapore's Dog of the Year 2000, Hound of the Year and Whippet of the Year. Cosmo was Reserve Hound of the Year, and Reserve Whippet of the Year. Life, for a while, came to a stop. I guess it gave new meaning to the phrase, 'good things come to those who wait'.

Living art in the home.

Martina & Cosmo in my garden - sculptures alive!

At home, Cosmo and Martina are the most perfect, quiet, affectionate pets anyone could ever want. And they have never fought with each other, or any other dog for that matter. But like most dogs, Cosmo and Martina hate cats with a hair-raising vengeance! Requirements are modest: a morning hug, a goodnight kiss, and their favourite spot on the sofa. In the enclosed field of the Bishan Dog Run, they sprint and chase each other at blinding speed every evening, like a film on fast forward mode. Little wonder that a dog writer once penned, "Whippets are the dog world's best kept secrets." I cannot find a reason to disagree.

Dedication.

For so selflessly and generously sending me one of their best whippets each, I am dedicating the Singapore's Dog of the Year 2000 Award to Molly Rule-Steele and Sonia Turay at Taejaan, and Lee and Frank Pieterse at Statuesque. I wish them every success in their quest to continue breeding world-class whippets - porcelain looking animals of exquisite and unparalleled beauty. Like a picture, theirs paint a thousand words.

In the spirit of sportsmanship, I am also dedicating this win to any exhibitor at our shows who aspires to realize the very same dream a little 10-year old boy once did.

I am done with writing my story. The drizzle outside has stopped. It is a clear night sky peppered with stars aplenty. With Cosmo and Martina now by my side, I look up at the brightest stars and thank each of my past dogs for their years of companionship and love. I see Kelly's face, looking exactly like he did in that old photo with me. He is smiling down upon us. Yes, my precious children, we made it. At last.

- End -

Now, let's hear what the International Judges have to say about Cosmo …

"Top class hound, good head, splendid neck, outline and balance. Very good quarters, good depth and body. In lovely condition. Has a lot of quality and was brilliantly handled."
Mrs Ferelith Somerfield (UK)

"Very good type. Well balanced, good head & expression, bone, feet and tail."
Mr Robert Curtis (Australia)

"Nice type. Shown in good condition. Pleasing outline.
Good head, correct front, deep chest. Strong hindquarters."
Mr Larry Yuen (Malaysia)

" The overall balance and underline of this whippet is very beautiful, especially the
line from the head to the tail is very good." (translated by Mrs Mariko Gomez)
Mr Shoji Kimura (Japan)

"Excellent whippet. Good balance and shape. Good legs and feet. Very good quarters."
Mrs Ferelith Somerfield (UK)

"Another quality whippet. He has a lovely head and eye.
In top muscular condition. Lovely picture. "
Mrs Yvonne Smith (New Zealand)

And the opinions of International Judges about Martina …

"Quality whippet. Body made on good lines. Very shapely."
Mrs Ferelith Somerfield (UK)

"Excellent type and balance. Very good bone & feet. Just lovely."
Mr Robert Curtis (Australia)

"Very good type. Feminine bitch with very pleasing outline. Lovely head.
True front and well muscled hindquarters. Moves well."
Mr Larry Yuen (Malaysia)

"This whippet is feminine and has very good bone structure. Her movement is beautiful.
Her face is beautiful too." (translated by Mrs Mariko Gomez)
Mr Shoji Kimura (Japan)

"Sweet feminine expression. Had required arch of loin and excellent angles. Deep brisket. Powerful straight drive. I was very pleased to pick her for Best in Show."
Mr Thomas Lim (Singapore)

"I loved this quality bitch with her excellent lines and very good shoulders.""
Mrs Ferelith Somerfield (UK)

"This bitch was just gorgeous. She was muscular and beautifully balanced. I loved her outline standing and when she moved her action was free and ground covering. Her head is long and lean and she has an excellent expression. She was handled and presented to perfection."

"My winning dogs were of excellent quality, very well presented and beautifully handled.
They would win in any competition!"
Mrs Yvonne Smith (New Zealand)

GRATITUDE

My heartfelt appreciation to the following people, who have made dog showing a meaningful and fulfilling hobby for me after all these years …

Molly Rule-Steele, Sonia Turay, Alicia Taylor and Steely of Taejaan for giving me the chance to realise my life-time dream of winning Singapore's Dog of the Year with a world-class whippet in Martina. And for believing that I would do Taejaan proud in this part of the world, and to love your picture-perfect Martina more than anyone else can, especially when she was so precious to you in the show ring and for your future breeding programme.

Lee and Frank Pieterse of Statuesque for your generosity in sending me my other world-class whippet, Cosmo, who won 1st Runner-Up at Singapore's Millenium Champion of Champions Competition 2000 in the company of this country's top dogs. And for sending me my first whippet after a tremendously long and tiring search for a dog of this outstanding quality and illustrious breeding.

To both Molly Rule-Steele and Lee Pieterse, I cannot thank you enough.

Ameeta Williams, Joseph Dorall, Sabrina Lauw, Sharon Tan, Wendy Lim & Dee Lau for being the best friends I will ever have. I honestly cannot imagine what life would have been like if we hadn't met as children either at school or in the show ring! Thank you for your love and care. And so much, much more.

Mrs Gael Tan for your invaluable advice, guidance and for being my mentor. For being the real dog lover that you are, you deserve to have won Dog of the Year 1985, '86, '87, '89, and '95 with your phenomenal Pekingeses, Benji and Tom. Your daughter and my best friend, Sharon, was my inspiration. Most of all, thank you for being there for me all these years.

Mrs Jina Williams for teaching me how to walk my first triangle in the ring! Mr Bonnie Williams for always telling me never to give up my dream of winning a Best In Show. Your daughter and my other best friend, Ameeta's winning Dog of the Year 1990 with your Shih Tzu, Solly, was inspiration renewed for me.

Mr Danny Tan, Andrew Tan, Derrick Tan, Jessica Teo and Eugene Antoni for your constant encouragement and support.

Uncle Jimmy Lauw and Auntie Agnes for coming to the dog shows to support me.

The Bishan Dog Run regulars: Dr Wong Loong Tat, May, Samantha & Daryl, Chin Yin & Shin Yin, Kent Yeo and Mei, Fong Yee, Tracy and Andrew, Chan and Eileen, Teddy and Jasmine for our daily evening get-togethers while our dogs run themselves silly, and for the sometimes embarrassingly thunderous applause at the shows.

Mr Thomas Lim for awarding Martina her first Best in Show in Singapore and your support. And all the other International judges who thought so highly of Cosmo and Martina.

My dog show friends, Nicon Chin, Andy Lee, Tan Sieu Lee, Chan Chee Yan, Kelvin Ng Lip Siang, Betty and Stephen Tan, Dr Monique Goh, Dr Peter Chow, Ruth Ng, Samantha Yeo, Caven Fred Wong and Roy, Mrs Yeo and Yee Ferng, Mr & Mrs Teoh Eng Hong, Mrs Coleen and Mr Robert Ness, Dr May Lim, Mr Ong Joon Koon, Mrs Agnes Tan, Mrs Nancy Lim, Rathakrishnan, and Stanley Shen for your support and friendship.

UK/USA/Japan Trained Professional Groomer, Raymund Wee for teaching me everything about blow-drying, stripping, clipping and scissoring a show dog and for the years of after-school hours spent helping out at your grooming salon, The Doggy Shop. You are still the best, Raymund.

Veterinarian Dr Edmond Tan, Sally and staff for being wonderful friends and ensuring that my dogs are in the best of health all the time.

Jaclyn, Siew Kheng, Nimmi and all the staff at the SKC office for your assistance.

Bo Bengtson of Bohem whippets in the USA for your putting me in touch with the Pieterse's and for your whippet advice.

Tony Kyman and Allan Wishart of Talkabout whippets for the years of friendship and endless hours of whippet talk.

Kay and Macka Ward and my Australian family for making me so much a part of your life.

Marie Lee for the wonderful photographs of the whippets you see on the cover and on these pages.

Professor Chad Perry and Dr Meredith Lawley for taking as much interest in my dogs' wins as they did supervising my doctoral thesis.

Most of all, to my family for providing me with all the things I have in my life. I couldn't have asked for a better family, ever.

And to God, who decided it was finally time I got rewarded for my perseverance.

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